Today is the 2nd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Several people have asked how New Orleans is different today than it was when we moved here four weeks after the storm. Or even how it is different from before the storm. In a lot of ways, it is different but in some it's still the same.

Before the storm, people walked the French Quarter, especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights til all hours. They do that now.

You can still walk down the street with an open beer/drink in your hand (in the FQ).

The calliope music from the Steamship Natchez can still be heard.

The streetcars are still running. Different schedule now, not as often, but still running.

People still sit on the stoop and say hi to passersby.

Traffic is still bad, especially when most people don't know where in the blue blazes they want to go.

The sweet smell of fresh pralines still wafts out the doors of Southern Candy.

Street performers still entertain in front of Cafe Du Monde.

Cafe Du Monde is no longer open 24 hours a day.

Four weeks after the storm, armed national guards and state troopers could be found on every street corner and walking down the streets from 4 pm til 8 am.

Now you find armed thugs and murderers at all the street corners and walking the streets along with the streetwalkers.

Common courtesy and politeness is rare where it used to flourish.

Mine Mine Mine is heard more often than there's plenty for everyone.

English, Cajun, and French are minority languages compared to Spanish and oriental.

Schools are begging for the teachers that they fired immediately after the storm to come back and teach.

It's really kinda funny. Except when we go out of town or to the dr. or to the major grocery store, my world consists of the French Quarter. If you look just at "my world", it is the same friendly, neighborly, helpful place as ever. The people say hi and wave (locals). Parking sucks, but thats beside the point. It's once you step outside the Quarter that rudeness sets in.

What I've Been Working On Lately

Our Fall Swap block is due to Gerry by early September. I posted a picture of the one I made for the swap. Unfortunately, as I was embellishing my half, I forgot to stop.....ooops.....and completed the entire block. I rather like it.


















Of course my 2007 is a little crooked, but what the hey, it's my block. Anyway, I had to make another block for the swap. Tommy kept telling me, "Stop!!! Don't finish it!!". I told him I atleast had to do a couple of the seams. This time, I used the leaves from my dear friend Judyth in the center of the block. I used the fall colors to bead the tips of each leaf point and the center vein. This should help hold the leaves more securely. Tomorrow they are off in the mail to Gerry.


















I have also been making some ATC's. These are my first ones but I have ideas for several more. I still have to finish the backs of them, but am saving that til I have several to do.





















I have also made 3 dolls for Pat Winter's Comfort Doll collection; a doll for the Spirit of Friendship Christmas doll swap on CQI; one for myself; and a wallhanging that swam around in my head before I got up the nerve to try it. It will take a while to finish, but that's ok, I'm enjoying the creative proccess of making it. Once I get new batteries for my digital camera I will share pics.

I am going to try to get several more ATC's made today, tomorrow, and Friday. My mom and brother are coming down Saturday and will be here til Monday. They both have a three day weekend for Labor Day. Tommy got them awesome rates at Le Pavillon. That will be fun. I can go spend time there with my family, and my husband while he is working. Of course most of their time will be spent here at our apartment. Jeremy, my brother, is going to spend some time with his best friend, Thomas, who lives in Abita Springs, on the north shore. It's only about 30 minutes from us.

I'm really looking forward to it. I don't get to see my family that much, even though they only live 5 hours from here. We see my inlaws, 6 hours, from here more because we can actually stay with them. At my mom's house, Zoe is on the snack menu for Lady, Mom's german shepard, and Flip, Jeremy's pit bull. So we have to stay in a hotel when we visit them. Lately, we haven't been able to afford that, so I am glad they are coming here.

Sunday is the parade for Southern Decadence, and it lines up right in front of our house. What is Southern Decadence? Gay Mardi Gras.

I got this a while back and have been very remiss about putting it on my blog and sending a very big and sincere thank you to my good friend, JO. She sent me this back on August 8th. We were going through alot here at home and I just never got around to putting it up. I do apologize, Jo.

Seeing as how EVERYONE else has been awarded this one, I will say if you haven't gotten it, consider yourself nominated.

My Season To Season Swap Fall Block

For some reason I could not get my picture uploaded to the group so I put it on here for all to see. The colors are brighter in person than in the pic. The leaves are more copper in color.